This invention relates to a hinge structure for electronic devices consisting of two elements such as digital cameras, and particularly for connecting a camera body and a display panel to allow the camera body and the display panel to turn or fold and stack upon each other.
Digital cameras, also called Digital Still Cameras (DSC) to distinguish them from digital video cameras, use digitized data to store the captured still images. They use magnetic disks or PCMCIA (Personal Computer Memory Card International Association) memory cards to store the static images. In order to save the medium space, the captured images of the digital camera are usually stored in compression files. The most commonly used file format is JPEG (Joint Photographic Experts Group). The captured pictures may be input into a computer through a RS-232 (Recommended Standard-232) communication port for image processing, or be printed out at a printer through a printer port. There is no need for the developing process, as with conventional cameras. They also do not need film. Hence, they are desirable for journalists who are always under time constraints in their work. The captured images may be stored directly and transmitted by electronic mail to the newspaper office.
The presently available digital cameras still have a lower resolution than conventional cameras. Especially when taking pictures in weak lighting, digital cameras cannot match conventional cameras in picture clarity. Nevertheless, digital cameras generally have a Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) which enables users to see the captured images immediately, and the captured images may be deleted through the display screen. This is a function not available or possible for conventional cameras.
Most digital cameras have the LCD mounted on the camera body. Such a construction has shortcomings. For instance, there is no protection for the fragile LCD and lens unit. Hence, additional protection masks or the like have to be provided for this purpose. There is also no self-picture taking function. Recently, some foldable digital cameras have been developed and introduced. They employ conventional hinges to connect the LCD panel to the camera body. When not in use, the LCD panel and lens unit may be folded and covered under protection. However, the conventional hinge structure allows only the LCD panel to turn against the camera body, but no relative turning movement between the LCD panel and camera body. There is a limitation for the turning angle. As a result, it reduces flexibility and the camera cannot take picture at some angles. For instance, to do self-picture taking, or to take pictures at a very large or small angle will cause substantial inconvenience.
The primary object of this invention is to provide a hinge structure for connecting electronic devices that consist of two elements, such as to couple the LCD panel with the camera body of a digital camera. Through the linkage motion of a gear unit, when the display panel is turned, the gear unit will be driven to turn the camera body in the opposite direction. And the angle between the LCD panel and camera body may range from 0 to 360 degrees, and allow for unlimited picture taking angles.
The hinge structure according to this invention comprises a pivot unit, a gear unit, a elastic member and a pair of cranks. The gear unit is located in a housing chamber of the pivot unit and has two rolling gears disposed at two outer sides. Each rolling gear has a bulged section extending outside the pivot unit and an insert hole located at the axis. The bulged section has a plurality of positioning notches. On the inner sides between the rolling gears, there are two smaller alignment gears engaged with each other and also engaged respectively with the rolling gears located on the outer side, such that turning one of the rolling gears on the outer side will drive another rolling gear turning in the opposite direction. The elastic member is located on the outside of the pivot unit and has two sides which each have an elastic projection located thereon to engage with the positioning notch of the rolling gear. The crank has one end fastened to the camera body or display panel and the other end disposed in the insert hole of the rolling gear. If one turns the camera body or display panel, the rolling gear will be driven to turn the display panel or camera body in the opposite direction through the elastic projection, which is stationary and mounted on the notch of the rolling gear, thereby changing the angle between the display panel and camera body. This angle may range from 0 to 360 degrees, with unlimited picturing taking angles.
Further scope of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter. However, it should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and of the scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description.